The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, has revealed that the Federal Government of Nigeria began implementing some priority actions in 2022 to make food systems more sustainable.
This was disclosed during the inauguration of a 20-man steering committee on state implementation of the food systems transformation pathway in Nigeria held in Abuja.
The priority actions include the dissemination of information about weather patterns and soil properties, as well as best practices for crops, livestock, aquaculture, and poultry production. In addition, states are urged to establish farm settlements/estates with basic amenities, including internet, to discourage rural-to-urban migration and the promotion of Operation Feed Yourself.
According to the minister, the federal government through NiMet and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regularly collects and disseminates information about weather patterns and soil properties, which is disseminated through radio and other platforms. The information is intended to inform food production decisions for each rainy and dry season.
Furthermore, states are expected to establish farm settlement estates made up of smallholder producers, including women and youths, to increase input supply, machinery hiring, extension and other services, and market access. The settlements are equipped with basic amenities such as the internet to discourage rural-to-urban migration.
The Steering Committee, chaired by the Minister, has co-chairmen and members from government agencies in charge of economic planning and agriculture, as well as stakeholders from Non-Governmental Organizations, Development Partners, and the private sector. The committee will provide leadership for the implementation of all 78 recommendations for transforming Nigeria’s food systems, which started in 2020 with the call by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres.